Streubel: Let's do our political homework

Today’s political climate is, let’s call it inclement. The country is once again facing divisive issues, and the voices on either side are as fervent as ever.

People are angry, and that is to be expected when so much change threatens the nation. Some fear that the lives they’ve led will never be the same, while others fear that their lives may never change. Both are right in their own way; they are simply fighting for what they feel is right. This is excellent, and it's the entire point of civil political discourse.

However, looking at the past 18 months or so, there has been much discussion that would not be classified as civil. So much of the commentary regarding politics these days starts out innocently enough, but quickly degrades into petty squabbling. More focus is put on how unfit the opposition is, as opposed to elevating one’s own argument. This often-sarcastic vitriol accomplishes nothing.

Social media is partly to blame. While sites like Facebook and Twitter offer a medium for
instantaneous worldwide conversation and connection, it also provides a shield from accountability. This paves the way for people on both sides who will believe anything they see that takes a shot at the opposition, without taking the time to verify that information. This headline punditry is irresponsible and dangerous, and it dilutes thoughtful discussion with misinformation and propaganda. Memes are great and all, but spreading them without researching their veracity is the political equivalent of telling people that if your hand is bigger than your face, you have cancer.

These actions are impotent and directionless. They don’t inspire or unite, teach or inform. No one has been called a, “snowflake,” and thought to themselves, “I am being too sensitive.” No one saw the president called a “Cheeto,” and said, “He really is orange! What have I done?” In a day and age where people often demand acceptance while practicing intolerance, frivolous jibes like these only nurture that mentality and create even more distance.

The problem here is that some people are simply not willing to listen. In some regard, it’s an understandable position to take; why reinvent the wheel if it’s worked so far? Therein lies the issue: just because it’s working for one person, doesn’t mean it’s ever worked for anyone else.

People in this country used to think it was acceptable to prohibit women from voting and legally considered African Americans to be a fraction of a person. These policies obviously didn’t work for everyone and had to be changed. Eventually people started to listen, which availed them a measure of understanding, which in turn paved the way for real change to take place. It’s a beauty of our democracy: it can be amended to evolve along with its constituency, albeit slowly.

We the people need to be smarter about the way we do politics. Even the threat of our elections being tampered with should give us cause for concern, regardless of the effect it may have had, as that indicates a failure to pay attention and properly vet the information presented to us.

So please, for all our sake, if we are going to toss our two cents into the political pot, let's do our homework. If we are going to take a stance, we need reason and logic on our side. If we have complaints about a policy, we should have an alternative to present. When it comes time to vote, we owe it to ourselves and each other to know who and what we are putting in office. We need to take advantage of our democracy.